Information Handling System Display Adaptive Self-Refresh

Abstract

Information presented as images at a display are provided by a panel self-refresh module of the display instead of a graphics system, with the panel self-refresh module using a reduced refresh rate of the image to reduce power consumption. During a panel self-refresh mode, brightness of an image presented at the display is managed locally at the display to support power down of a graphics system interfaced with the display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An information handling system comprising:
 a processor operable to execute an application to generate visual information;   a graphics system interfaced with processor and operable render the visual information as visual image information for presentation of an image at a display;   a display interfaced with the graphics system and operable to apply the visual image information to present the image at a first refresh rate; and   a panel self-refresh module integrated with the display and having a memory, the panel self-refresh module operable to store the visual image information in the memory and to apply the visual image information at a second refresh rate to present the image at the display instead of visual image information provided from the graphics system, the second refresh rate having a reduced frequency relative to the first refresh rate.   
     
     
         2 . The information handling system of  claim 1  wherein the panel self-refresh module stores persistence information associated with the display and applies the persistence information to one or more predetermined factors to determine the second refresh rate. 
     
     
         3 . The information handling system of  claim 2  wherein the predetermined factors comprise the amount of time that the panel self-refresh module applies visual information from the memory instead of the graphics system. 
     
     
         4 . The information handling system of  claim 2  wherein the predetermined factors comprise a brightness setting of a backlight of the display. 
     
     
         5 . The information handling system of claim wherein the panel self-refresh module comprises firmware instructions stored in memory of the display and executed by a controller of the display. 
     
     
         6 . The information handling system of  claim 1  wherein the panel self-refresh module comprises an application specific integrated circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The information handling system of  claim 1  wherein the panel self-refresh module is further operable to control brightness of a display backlight instead of control from the graphics system. 
     
     
         8 . The information handling system of  claim 7  wherein the panel self-refresh module controls the display backlight to mimic automated display power down performed by the graphics system. 
     
     
         9 . The information handling system of  claim 8  wherein the automated display power down comprises powering off the backlight after a predetermined inactivity time. 
     
     
         10 . A method for presenting information at a display, the method comprising:
 communicating visual image information from a graphics system to a display;   presenting the visual image information as visual images at the display with a first refresh rate;   storing the visual image information in memory of the display; and   in response to a predetermined condition, presenting the visual image at the display with the visual image information stored in the memory instead of visual image information communicated from the graphics system, the visual image information presented from the memory with a second refresh rate having a reduced frequency relative to the first refresh rate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 retrieving a persistence value from the display; and 
 analyzing one or more predetermined factors with the persistence value to determine the second refresh rate. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the predetermined factors comprise a brightness setting of a backlight of the display. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the predetermined factors comprise a color value associated with the visual image information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the predetermined factors comprise a length of time associated with the presenting the visual image information with the second refresh rate. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the predetermined factors comprise motion associated with the visual image information. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the predetermined condition comprises a lack of communication of visual image information from the graphics system. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 in response to the predetermined condition, illuminating a backlight of the display with a brightness determined at the display instead of the graphics system. 
 
     
     
         18 . A system for presenting information at a display, the system comprising:
 memory integrated in the display and operable to store visual image information;   a controller integrated in the display and operable to apply visual image information to present information at the display with a first or second refresh rate; and   a panel self-refresh module operable to detect a predetermined condition and at the display with the second refresh rate instead of the first refresh rate.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the predetermined condition comprises presentation of a constant image at the display. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18  wherein the predetermined condition comprises removal of communication of visual image information from a graphics system to the display.